Since we have yet to win the lottery (although my husband is certain that we eventually will), we have to sail on a budget. Concerning the Sign and Sail cards and cash use on board:
1. Slot machines in the casino - cash or sign and sail?
2. Arcade for teens - cash or sign and sail?
3. Soft drink machines - cash or sign and sail?
4. Washer and dryer - cash or sign and sail?
5. In the bar - can you use cash?
Originally posted by CruiseFuse:
Since we have yet to win the lottery (although my husband is certain that we eventually will), we have to sail on a budget. Concerning the Sign and Sail cards and cash use on board: Anyone know?
1. Slot machines in the casino - cash or sign and sail? Both...but there is a 3% charge if you use your sail and sign in the Casino.
2. Arcade for teens - cash or sign and sail? Cash and most machines are around $1.00 per game.
3. Soft drink machines - cash or sign and sail? no soft drink machines. You may purchase soft drinks at most bars and it is charged to your sign and sail, or you may purchase a soft drink card for unlimited soft drinks..we just got off the Triumph and for a 5 night sailing the card was $23.00 for our daughter-she is 14 the adult card was around $33.00 each.
4. Washer and dryer - cash or sign and sail? cash...around $2.00 to wash and about the same to dry...but small area and lots of usage.
5. In the bar - can you use cash? Sign and Sail only.
You can check your charge balances on your TV in your cabin, just go to the menu, account balance and punch in your folio number that is on your sail and sign card and you will be able to see everything you spend. It is very accurate..as soon as you use it to charge something, you can go back to your cabin and check and it will be on there.
Thanks Sissy. That helps somewhat, although I was under the impression from another site that there are soft drink machines on board. My kids will probably want to spend some time in the arcade so that question definitely interests me. We just don't want our kids to be able to go "money happy" with their cards so are trying to figure out the best way to handle their spending.
Re: arcade. The kids will not be as arcade-crazy as they are on shore. There is so much to do that the arcade is boring by comparison. Cash only.
Re: soda cards. Lemonade, fruit punch and iced tea are free 24/7. I just took four kids on Elation and bought no soda cards. They didn't even ask.
Re: laundry. 2 bucks wash, 2 bucks dry. You definitely want to bring laundry detergent! I brought a lot but still had to buy some in the end and it was another two bucks. Buy those Shout wipes, they are great. Also bring a laundry bag or collapsible hamper. I never had to wait for a machine, btw.
My kids didnh't use their cards for spending, just as room keys. If you feel that your teens are going to go out of control at the gift shop or buying soda then get separate room keys for them that are not linked to the S&S account.
Great advice about the separate key for the room. One of our kids is very careful and the other one thinks that we just print out money as needed from the home computer (that would be the 18 year old). We are planning on getting them the drink cards as they will use them. My husband was talking about getting one for me since I don't drink much liquor-wise, but I really can't see wasting that amount of money. I would much rather have tea, coffee, lemonade, etc.
I had read in another place that the crew really appreciates any remaining laundry detergent so if we have some left, I'm leaving it. I've got a mesh laundry bag that will take up no room in our luggage but be useful for laundry on board. (Great tip by the way).
Since one of our daughters is now old enough to go in the casino, we just wanted to figure out a way to prevent her from using the sign and sail in there. You definitely found a way for me to do that!
Crusefare, our daughter is 14 and has been sailing with us since she was 9, she has never had charging privileges on the Sign and Sail card. When we set it up at the beginning of the cruise I make sure that it is noted she may not charge. If she needs anything, then we get it on our card. So far in 5 years she has never challenged us on it.
As a side note, the first time our son went on a cruise with us (he was 29 at the time) he brought his then girlfriend with him. By the end of the first night their Sign and Sail account had reached over $300.00. Thank God we were not the ones footing that bill. They started drinking the minute they arrived on ship and by that night they were scrounging for more cash to put on their card. It was a 4 night cruise and I was so happy that he was footing that part of the bill.
the last 3 cruises on Carnival we did find vending machines in the far backdecks and middle decks with Ice machines they were 2.00 for a can of soda also the steward leaves soda and water in the room for you if you use either you will be charged as they keep inventory of what is left the water was 3 or 4 dollars a bottle. I just told our steward to leave soda in case any one got thirsty during the night it was there told him or her do not leave water we brought large water bottles on board and filled from fountain if we needed water, and to take on shore, and bottle water is sold as you debark if you want to buy it at extreme high cost, you may bring on cans of soda as we have done so in our check luggage, I have even seen it go through on the carry on, Carnival, does not seem to strict about soda and water coming on board they are looking for the hard spirits
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